The summer of 2013 was not a fun time for Microsoft. In May of last year, Microsoft unveiled their new video game console, the Xbox One. In addition to the terrible name, the console had received a huge amount of criticism from gamers due to some features that Microsoft had claimed were going to be implemented once the console hit the markets in November. These included:
1. An always online requirement – the Xbox One would have to be connected to the internet in order to play it (even if the game was played offline).
2. A once every 24-hour online check – Microsoft would require users to have the system connected to the internet at least once a day or risk losing access to their console.
3. All games would have an online DRM check – this meant that you could only play a game on your specific console, and no one else could borrow or buy your used games.
4. The Kinect would not only be required, but couldn’t be turned off – the Kinect is Microsoft’s camera system used with its video game consoles, which also uses voice commands, so having an always-on camera that was constantly listening for your voice was pretty creepy, especially combined with the online requirements.
So as you can see, gamers were pretty angry that Microsoft was pushing a console that would effectively alienate anyone without a stable internet connection, prevent people from sharing or selling their games, and possibly be watching you 24-hours a day. But what happened next was quite interesting – gamers started using memes to convey their feelings about the Xbox One:
On top of this, Sony, which is Microsoft’s main competitor in the gaming market, quickly realized how much trouble Microsoft was in, and used the controversy to deal some huge blows to their archenemy by stating that the Playstation 4, their own new console, would not have such features (watch the video, it’s hilarious how direct they were with their statements):
And gamers cheered them on through memes:
Now you might think that things couldn’t get any worse for Microsoft. But there was something else brewing during the summer of 2013 that would prove to be even worse…
Yep, the NSA scandal happened around the same time that Microsoft decided to tell its consumers that it wanted them to buy an always online gaming device that would constantly watch them through a camera that couldn’t turn off. Talk about a complete lack of kairos.
Things got so bad for Microsoft that when analyzing pre-order sale statistics, users found that Amazon pre-orders for the Xbox One were way below that of the Playstation 4. So what did Microsoft decide to do? They announced that they removed almost all of those features from the Xbox One.
Yes, memes can change the world.
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